Dynasty (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Dick Griffey, Leon Sylvers III |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 10+ |
| Parent | SOLAR Records |
Dynasty was a Los Angeles-based American ensemble formed by producer and SOLAR Records executive Dick Griffey alongside producer Leon Sylvers III. The group gained recognition for their dance and pop tracks throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s. The original lineup featured keyboardist Kevin Spencer and vocalists Nidra Beard and Linda Carriere.
History and overview
The creation of Dynasty was spearheaded by Griffey and Sylvers, the latter being an ex-member of the prominent 1970s act The Sylvers. Serving as SOLAR's resident producer starting in 1978, Sylvers put together Dynasty with vocalists Nidra Beard, Linda Carriere, and keyboardist Kevin Spencer.
Carriere and Beard first connected in Los Angeles during the early 1970s, later touring internationally with groups such as DeBlanc and Starfire before joining forces in Dynasty. Beard’s association with Sylvers, including live performances with The Sylvers, facilitated her introduction to Griffey. After auditioning alongside The Sylvers, Spencer became part of the ensemble, completing the group's initial formation.
Their debut album, Your Piece of the Rock (1979), featured the R&B single "I Don't Want to Be a Freak (But I Can't Help Myself)," which climbed to No. 20 on the UK charts. The follow-up in 1980, Adventures in the Land of Music, included their most successful track "I've Just Begun to Love You," which reached No. 6 on the US R&B charts and also appeared on both UK and US pop charts. Additional songs such as "Do Me Right" and "Groove Control" helped secure a top-five position on the US Dance charts. The album’s title track has been extensively sampled within hip-hop and R&B genres.
In 1981, Sylvers officially joined Dynasty as a member for their album The Second Adventure, which produced two R&B hits reaching the top 40 but achieved limited commercial success. During this time, Beard and Sylvers were briefly married.
The 1982 release Right Back at Cha! generated singles like "Check It Out," which attained modest chart positions in the US; meanwhile, UK singles such as "Does That Ring a Bell" peaked at No. 53. By the time of their 1986 album Daydreamin' , Carriere had departed, with Beard adopting her married surname Sylvers. Their final studio effort, Out of Control (1988), despite featuring production from rising SOLAR talents L.A. Reid and Babyface, did not regain commercial momentum; it notably shared cover artwork and multiple tracks with its predecessor.
Following the group's disbandment, members pursued various roles within the music industry: Beard became a songwriter for artists including Shalamar and The Whispers; Carriere maintained her career as a backing vocalist; Spencer contributed to recordings by Carrie Lucas, Shalamar, and Gladys Knight & the Pips; Sylvers developed a distinguished production career working with acts such as Howard Hewett and Blackstreet.
Most of Dynasty's recordings have been re-released on CD through Canadian independent label Unidisc Music Inc..
Vocalist Nidra Beard died from cancer in December 2023 at age 71.
Band members (listed alphabetically)
- Nidra Beard – vocals (d. 2023)
- Linda Carriere – vocals
- Wayne Milstein – percussion
- Wardell Potts Jr. – drums
- Richard Randolph – guitar
- Ernest Pepper Reed – guitar
- William Shelby – keyboards/vocals (d. 2021)
- Ricky Smith – keyboards
- Kevin Spencer – keyboard Synths/vocals
- Leon Sylvers III – bass
Albums
- Your Piece of the Rock (1979)
- Adventures in the Land of Music (1980)
- The Second Adventure (1981)
- Right Back at Cha! (1982)
- Daydreamin' (1986)
- Out of Control (1988)
Singles
| Year | Title | US R&B | US Dance | US Pop | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Your Piece of the Rock" | — | — | — | |||
| "Satisfied" | 38 | — | — | ||||
| "When You Feel Like Giving Love (Dial My Number)" | — | — | — | ||||
| "I Don't Want to Be a Freak (But I Can't Help Myself)" | 38 | — | 20 | ||||
| 1980 | "Do Me Right" | — | — | — | |||
| "I've Just Begun to Love You" | 5 | 87 | 51 | ||||
| "Adventures in the Land of Music" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Something to Remember / Groove Control" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1981 | "Here I Am" | 51 | — | — | |||
| "Love in the Fast Lane" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1982 | "Check It Out" | — | — | — | |||
| "Strokin'" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1983 | "Does That Ring a Bell" | — | — | 53 | |||
| 1988 | "Don't Waste My Time" | — | — | — | |||
| "Tell Me (Do You Want My Love?)" | — | — | — |
Compilations
- The Best of Dynasty (1994)
- Greatest Hits (2003)
External links
- Complete Album and Single Listings at Discogs
- Archived Discomuseum.com Profile
- [ All Music Guide overview]
- Original SOLAR Records biography from 1979